TRUK Advice Column

Prevent Truck Power Line Strikes

Heavy haulage truckers are reminded to look out for power lines. 

Truck drivers are being urged to look up and take care when close to power lines. Heavy haulage and road freight operators are being urged to take extra care when route planning and for drivers to be more vigilant with oversize transport. 

Power line safety for truck drivers

When transporting heavy haulage, power lines are a daily hazard for truck drivers. Besides the most obvious driver safety considerations, the indirect costs to business if a truck strikes power lines can be staggering when you think of the cost of replacing equipment, down-time, litigation, additional wages, overtime and much more. 

The nature of high voltage however, means that drivers and their freight may be in danger without even coming into contact with the wire itself. The fact is that electricity can arc or "jump" through the insulating space between a wire and a conducting object like a truck or a ladder.

The higher the voltage, the more likely it is for an arc to occur. The only way to keep safe is by keeping a safe distance. 

So, what can drivers do to protect themselves and their rigs? Here are three easy steps to remember. 

Step 1 – Be Aware of All Power Lines

Know your transport regulations when it comes to transporting high loads. Know your proposed route, your times for transport and the exact load dimensions. For heights over 4.6m the route will need to be scoped by relevant authorities, which may include electricity providers and state transport authorities, and relevant approvals sought. 

Step 2 – Know Your Safe Limits

It’s suggested to keep at least 3m away from all power lines (or more, depending on the voltage)
and avoid parking under power lines entirely

Step 3 – Get a Signaller

You must use a signaller who can warn you when any part of the equipment or load approaches the minimum 3m safety distance. The signaller should stand at least 10m away from the vehicle in the event of contact.

Remember, your safety and that of your load is always most important. 

Keep Safe…Stay Alert...Stay Alive!!!

When dealing with heavy duty vehicles, safety of the employees is the number one priority.  Make sure that all vehicles comply with the strictest safety regulations.  No matter how secure your vehicle is, working with large trucks can be a trying job, especially when dealing with long hours and intense distances.

With the top tips below, you can make sure you stay safe while driving your heavy duty or dump truck.

Take regular breaks

Every couple of hours, pull over and make a pit stop. You will be amazed at how refreshed you feel after stretching your legs and drinking some coffee!

Get to know your vehicle

Make sure you know your vehicle inside out in case of a breakdown, especially if you break down while on the road. 

Keep your distance

Driving a heavy duty vehicle means a slower speed, but also a reduced stopping distance. Make sure you always keep a space of 4-5 cars in between you and the vehicle in front so you have enough time to brake suddenly if need be.

Watch the blind spot

One of the main reasons for truck accidents on the road is the lack of vision when another vehicle is in the truck’s blind spot. Make sure you are always checking the spots you cannot see in your mirrors, especially before changing lanes or turning.

Watch your amount of Extra Time

Even though working overtime may help you pay the bills, it is not advisable as the longer you work, the more tired you become. No matter how much experience you have as a heavy duty truck driver, driving while even slightly tired should be avoided at all costs.

Follow these tips for safe driving and it could save your life

If you have any tips to share with other truckers, please feel free to comment below

Life as the "King of the Road" can provide a rewarding career. But no-one said being in control of a heavy vehicle. carrying expensive cargo, and meeting critical deadlines was easy. To see if you’re cut out for truck driving, have a look at the Top 10 qualities that all great truck drivers share.

1.    SAFE – Safety is always first because without a safe driving record, your truck driving career is over.

2.    HONEST – Great truck drivers have to be honest regarding laws, employers, customers and themselves. Shortcuts ultimately backfire and can have genuinely disastrous outcomes. Getting the job done completely, legally and honestly is the key to a successful driving career.

3.    RESPONSIBLE – The duties drivers perform now are as diverse as the range of trucks on the roads. Drivers need to manage paperwork, document and report mechanical issues, assist with loading and unloading, maintain trip logs and in some cases transport hazardous, precious and/or highly sensitive materials.

4.    ALERT – Predictable routes can often carry a higher risk of driver fatigue than complicated ones. Great drivers are alert despite knowing some of their journeys back-to-front.

5.    RELIABLE – In the transport industry, nothing is more important than knowing WHEN a load will reach its destination. Great truck drivers understand that they’re the vital link in the logistics chain.

6.    RESILIENT – Being resilient is about being able to cope calmly in a wide range of high pressure situations. How a driver deals with rapidly changing events can be the difference between a good driver and a great driver.

7.    COURTEOUS – Great truck drivers need to know how to communicate courteously with people including other drivers, dock workers, service staff and everyone else a truck driver comes into contact with. That courtesy should also extend to the cargo they carry.

8.    INDEPENDENT – Great drivers need to be good at working independently, not only because they spend most of their time on the road alone, but because they are the only ones that can make important judgement calls in time-critical situations. This could be a decision about when to take a break, when to investigate a potential mechanical problem or one of a hundred other various issues that truck drivers come across every day.

9.    MECHANICALLY MINDED – Knowing the ins and outs of how your truck works helps keep you safe, can potentially save you time and money and gives you the confidence of knowing how to handle common roadside repairs that ensure you’re complying with safety and legal requirements.

10.    FIT – Great truck drivers need to be ready mentally and physically for the long-haul. Even if you’re not driving serious distances, you’ll need good physical stamina to get the best out of a truck driving career.

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